


A gentle breeze

by duesternis



Series: And now, gently [1]
Category: The Terror (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Domestic Fluff, Domesticity, Established Relationship, Fix-It, M/M, Other characters mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24492247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duesternis/pseuds/duesternis
Summary: "Can I help you, darling?"Henry looked up from tidying the loose leaves of papers on the sitting room table."Oh, no, John." Henry smiled and gathered some of the papers in his hands. "Enjoy your book, love."
Relationships: John Bridgens/Harry Peglar
Series: And now, gently [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769338
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	A gentle breeze

**Author's Note:**

> The first part of a short trilogy. All the parts stand well on their own.
> 
> Unbeta-d and English is not my first language. If you notice a slip up or a glaring typo please tell me, so I can edit accordingly.
> 
> Please feel free to leave a comment and quote your favourite line back at me.

John looked up from his book and watched Henry bustle around the flat for a moment.  
The windows were open, letting the warm spring air in, and with it the swell of the ocean.  
Salt and the screams of gulls, the ebb and flow of waves lapping the coast.  
Henry hummed something under his breath. The tune from the show last night, John recognized after a moment.

They had sat together in the filled row, thighs pressed close and hands secretly entwined in the heat between their bodies.  
John recalled Henry’s wide, awed eyes and the breathless laughter that had still shook him in their bed with a fond warmth curling in his belly.  
He smiled to himself and marked his page with a piece of ribbon.  
Stood, stretched and laid his book aside.  
Watched Henry for a breath more, the curtains billowing dramatically in the breeze.

"Can I help you, darling?"

Henry looked up from tidying the loose leaves of papers on the sitting room table.  
Well, not much of a sitting room.  
The flat had only two rooms and a very small kitchen. Privy out in the hall.  
Which meant a shared bedroom, a shared bed to both their delight, and the other room was sitting room, study, library and dining room when they had guests.  
Few and far inbetween that they were.

Letters all the more regular, though. Sometimes from far away corners of the world, courtesy of the Lieutenants Little and Jopson. Well, Commander and Lieutenant, now.  
Sometimes from London, most often from Edinburgh, though.

And now Henry was busy tidying their rooms.  
The warmth in John’s belly settled in firmer.  
"Oh, no, John." Henry smiled and gathered some of the papers in his hands. "Enjoy your book, love."  
John smiled, shook his head, crossing over to Henry. Laid his hands over Henry’s, holding the papers with him.  
"I’d rather spend time with you, Henry."

Henry leaned in, pressing a short, warm kiss to John’s lips.  
"Then let’s tidy the kitchen. The floors need a good scrub, and I’ve no idea how the stores fare."  
John laughed, firmly reminded of Irving and his fretting, and kissed Henry back, smoothing his hands over Henry’s forearms for a long moment.

They took the liberty of touching each other now.  
They had the liberty of touching each other now.  
There were no judging eyes in their little sanctuary, no punishment for taking care of each other.  
John was indeed quite glad for the privilege of it all.

Henry kissed the corner of his smiling mouth and put the papers into one of his leather folders. John didn’t ask after them, but sometimes Henry read the most tender, loving poetry from them when they sat together at night.  
Now they were gently placed in the little bookshelf they had and John followed Henry into their kitchen.  
The breakfast dishes were still unwashed in the sink and Henry and John both sighed. "I think I should have washed enough dishes by now. It’s desperately unfair, that they keep accumulating either way."  
"We could eat straight from the pots."  
Henry grinned at John’s affronted snort and together they quickly dealt with the dishes.

Henry pushed the window open, letting the ocean and sun into the kitchen too.  
They both found it quite intolerable to be away from the rush of water for too long. Silence and stillness cut too close to scars still tender.  
Side by side they emptied the stores, counted and checked their provisions, Henry keeping a smart list, while John prattled on and on about whatever came to his mind.  
Then they wiped the shelves, sorted everything into the stores again and then the kitchen table was scrubbed.  
The floor, the stove, the sink.  
John washed the window, while Henry scrubbed the cabinets.  
They kissed in the stream of sunlight, hands wet and dripping with suds, and Henry started humming again.

Outside a carriage rattled by and a dog barked.  
John dried his hands on an old tea towel.  
The wind swelled, a seagull cried and John put his arms around Henry’s hips.  
Kissed the sweaty strip of skin above his collar and was quite content.  
Henry turned in his arms, tucking his hands under the bottom of John’s waistcoat.  
They were moist and warm.

"Always dressed so well, Mr Bridgens."  
"Always dressed so handsomely, Mr Peglar", John retorted, hands ghosting over the thin cotton of Henry’s shirt.  
At home Henry almost never wore anything but shirtsleeves and John had found he was indeed fond of the habit. Shirtsleeves and sweaters and a tidy beard; his handsome Henry safe and sound.  
They kissed without hurry, without worry.  
A bee buzzed by the window, a cloud covered the sun for but a breath and Henry pulled John closer against him.  
They leaned against the rim of the sink.  
Henry laid his head on John’s shoulder, thumbs carressing his back still.

It was John’s turn to hum now, rocking them slowly from side to side. Henry huffed a breath of laughter against John’s neck and they started to dance.  
Shuffling through the kitchen and back into the sitting room, where they assumed a proper stance and took a turn about the room.  
Half a waltz and half something entirely different. They had never learned how to do it properly, but it hardly mattered.  
What mattered was, that they had each other in their arms. Safe and warm and un-erringly happy.

Henry kissed John, mouth wide around a smile and John let himself be kissed soundly.  
They laughed and Henry dipped John, like they had seen done in the show last night.  
"All well, love?"  
John smiled and closed his eyes.

"All well."


End file.
